A DRUG addict burglar who left his blood at a spate of crime scenes has been jailed for three years.
Aurangzeb Haq, 45, was today given the mandatory prison term after a judge heard that his latest attacks on homes made him a so-called "three strikes" burglar.
Although Haq, of Wingfield Street, Barkerend, Bradford, had been out of trouble since 2011 Bradford Crown Court heard that he committed his first house burglary back in the early 1990s and had relevant convictions for burglary in 2001 and 2004.
Prosecutor John Bull said Haq broke a window to get into a house in Toller Lane last May, but his blood was left at the scene as he fled with an Amazon Kindle device.
Five months later Haq smashed a car window in order to steal various property including perfume and clothing, but a bloodstain found on a piece of paper linked him to that offence.
In early December Haq stole a games console, games and a laptop computer during a night-time break-in at a house on Skinner Lane and within a few weeks he raided a home in Allerton Road stealing a quantity of clothing.
Haq appeared before the court via a video link to Hull prison today and pleaded guilty to the three burglary charges and the theft offence.
The court heard that Haq had delayed entering his guilty pleas because he initially disputed that it was his blood, but Judge Peter Benson said the defendant must have known if he had gone into the properties.
"He'll get credit for pleading guilty but it wasn't at the first opportunity," noted Judge Benson.
Solicitor advocate Julian White, for Haq, said his client had not committed a burglary for more than 10 years, but he relapsed into drug taking last year.
Mr White submitted that Haq had proved he could behave himself provided he was off drugs.
Judge Benson said Haq had a dreadful record of offending up to 2004, but there had been no offences since 2011.
"However I am afraid you've come back to offending with quite a spectacular return," the judge told Haq over the link.
"You said the blood found on each occasion was not your blood though you would have known full well you had gone into those premises, but you have had the good sense to plead guilty today."
Judge Benson said a three-year prison sentence was appropriate after taking account of the fact that none of the houses were occupied at the time and there had been no ransacking of the homes.
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